Vertical deviation detector for roadways and roadway forms



June 5, 1962 P. DE GRAFF 3,037,294

VERTICAL DEVIATION DETECTOR FOR ROADWAYS AND ROADWAY FORMS Filed Dec. 8, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY (Ema/1X ATTORNEK June 5, 1962 P. DE GRAFF 3,037,294

VERTICAL DEVIATION DETECTOR FOR ROADWAYS AND ROADWAY FORMS Filed Dec. 8, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Pe fer 17a 6/0 7 ATTORNEY.

June 5, 1962 P. DE GRAFF 3,037,294

VERTICAL DEVIATION DETECTOR FOR ROADWAYS AND ROADWAY FORMS Filed Dec. 8, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTOR.

Fe? fie 6/4 (L A TTORNE).

3,037,294 Patented June 5, 1962- three 3,037,294 VERTICAL DEVIATION DETECTOR FOR ROAD- WAYS AND ROADWAY FORMS Peter De Graft, Manhattan, Kans., assign'or to Viking Manufacturing Company, Manhattan, Kans. Filed Dec. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 779,007 9 Claims. (Cl. 33174) This invention relates to improvements in vertical deviation detector for roadways and roadway forms.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide simple and relatively inexpensive machine for detecting and marking points in the surface of a roadway or a roadway form which deviate from the desired level or grade.

Second, to provide a wheeled machine which can be steered over the surface of a roadway or run in a straight line along the top of a roadway form and which has a moveable detector wheel positioned between supporting wheels of the machine for indicating any deviation of the surface of the form or the roadway from a straight line between the supporting wheels of the machine.

Third, to provide a machine having a visible dial and a movable pointer connected to a vertically moving detector wheel for visibly indicating any deviation in the elevation of the detector wheel relative to a straight line between spaced supporting wheels of the machine.

Fourth, to provide a detector having audible signals and indicating high and low spots in a surface over which the machine is operated and having a dye depositing nozzle controlled from the handle of the machine for marking selected portions of the surface over which the machine is operated.

Fifth, to provide a machine with an adjustable handle that can be fixed at a low position for convenience in operating the machine on raised roadway forms or fixed in a high position for operating the machine on finished roadway surfaces.

Sixth, to provide a machine of the type disclosed having retaining plates selectively positioned along side of the supporting wheels to depend below the wheels when the wheels are operating on a track or elevated above the bottoms of the wheels when the machine is operated on a fiat surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims.

The drawings, of which there are three sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the machine.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the left rear side of the machine adjusted for operation over the flat surface of a finished roadway and having its roadway engaging stand adjusted to hold the machine in upright position when not attended.

FIG. 2 is a perspective View from the right rear side of the machine positioned and adjusted for operation along the surface of a roadway form or rail.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the machine as adjusted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan View of the visual and audible signal operating elements of the machine.

FIG, 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the marker dye distributing and regulating mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the machine illustrating the steering and locking mechanism for the front wheel of the machine.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 7-7 in FIG. 3 and conventionally illustrates the circuit diagram for the audible signals of the machine.

In the construction of streets, highways and airplane landing strips, it is common that specified minimum deviations from the designed grade shall not be exceeded. Deviations can be detected by placing a straight edge along the finished surface and measuring any deviation between the surface and the straight edge. Many deviations can be avoided by properly facing the elevation of the side forms or rails between which the roadway is to be formed as these rails constitute guides for the machinery which for-ms the surface of the roadway. As indicated in the objects of this invention the machine of the invention can be pushed along the surface of side forms or over the finished surface of a roadway to test the proper vertical elevation of the form or the roadway and to mark any portion which deviates beyond permissible limits from the desired grade.

The machine consists of an elongated body 1 in the form of an I beam. A fixed yoke 2 on the underside of the back end of the beam rotatably supports a fixed rear wheel 3.' A movable yoke or caster bracket 4 positioned under the front end of the beam is connected to the upright king pin 5 rotatably mounted in extension plates 6 secured to the top and bottom of the I beam and projecting forwardly therefrom. The caster yoke 4 carries the steerable front wheel 7 of the machine. A spring 8 connected to the top of the king pin 5 holds the king pin in its bearings in the extension plates to permit slight rocking of the king pin as the wheel 7 passes over small obstructions.

To operate the machine over the surface to be tested an adjustably inclined handle bar 9 is pivotally connected to the top of the I beam body at 10 and supported by an adjustable brace 11. The brace is pivoted to the rear end of the body at .12 and its upper end is selectively connectable to the handle bar at 13 as shown in FIG. 1 to hold the handle in elevated position or at 14 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to hold the handle in depressed position. The depressed position of the handle bar is used when the machine is operated on roadway forms such as 15 when the operator will be walking on the ground some distance below the tops of the rails.

When operated on a broad flat finished roadway the front caster wheel 7 is steered to conveniently cover all desired portions of the roadway. For this purpose the top of the king pin 5 has a. laterally projecting radius arm 16 connected by the link 17 to a steering lever 18. The lever 13 is pivotally mounted on the side of the I beam adjacent to the handle bar pivot 10 and is connected by a second steering link 19 to a crank arm 20 projecting from the right grip 2.1 on the top of the handle bar. The grip 21 is rotatable on the handle bar so that the operator can steer the front wheel.

When it is not desired to steer the machine and more desirable to hold the front wheel in fixed position, a lock pin 22 extending through the extension plates 6 is dropped downwardly under the influence of a spring 23 into a hole provided therefor in the steerable yoke 4. When the lock pin 22 is raised and released it is held in inoperative position by engagement of its laterally turned upper end 24 in a notch in the lock bracket 25.

The bottoms of the road wheels 3 and 7, of course, define a straight line therebetween and in order to measare or detect any deviation of the surface between the wheels from this straight line there is provided a smaller detector wheel 26 carried by a yoke 27. The yoke 27 is connected to an arm 28 that is vertically swingably mounted on the pivot 29. The rear end of the arm 28 is supported by adjustable limit screws 30 and is connected to the lift rod 31 by means of a pin and spring connection 32.

The lift rod 31 is threaded at its upper end as at 33 and adjustably received in a hollow tappet 34. The tappet 34 rests on the adjusting nut 35 and is guided vertically in the upper flange of the I beam. As the machine is rolled over a surface to be tested the detector wheel 26 rises or falls with any variation in the straightness of the surface between the supporting wheels and the tappet 34 is correspondingly raised or lowered.

As appears most clearly in FIG. 4 the tappet 34 is swivelly connected to the crank arm 36 of an indicator shaft 37 rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing bracket 38 on the top of the I beam. The further end of the indicator shaft 37 has an upwardly projecting pointer 39 thereon which swings across the face of a vertical dial 40 secured to the top of the I beam. The dial 40 is suitably calibrated in graduations to the right and the left of a central upright position so that as the detector wheel 26 falls, the pointer 39 indicates the corresponding deviation to one side of the center and any elevation of the detector wheel causes the pointer to indicate a deviation to the other side of the center of the dial. The operator holding the handle bar can readily note the indicated deviation.

In order to insure the attention of the operator to any deviation indicated by the detractor wheel and the dial the indicator shaft 37 carries a laterally projecting switch arm 41 that coacts with a pair of switches 42 and 43 mounted on opposite sides of the indicator shaft. These switches are connected by a cable 44 to an audible signal box 45 and as appears conventionally in FIG. 7 one switch 42 is connected to acuate a bell 46 while the other switch 43 acutates a buzzer 47. A battery 48 energizes the signals.

In order to mark surfaces which deviate from the desired grade the I beam body of the machine carries a tank 49 for a suitable marking paint or dye and the tank is connected through the pipe 50 to a downwardly directed nozzle 51 positioned along side of the detector wheel. As appears most clearly in FIG. 5 a stop cock 52 is connected in the pipe 50 and a spring pressed control valve 53 controls release of the dye to the nozzle 51. The spring pressed valve 53 is actuated by a control cable 54 having a flexible operating wire 55 engaged with the end of the valve. The control cable 54 is extended upwardly through the handle bar 9 and at its upper end the control wire 55 is brought out and connected to a left grip 57 on the upper end of the handle bar. Thus when the bell or buzzer signal sounds and the pointer 39 indicates a deviation in the surface being tested the operator has only to twist the grip 59 to deposit a suitable dye marker on the surface indicating that repairs are necessary at that point.

When the machine is operated on road form rails as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the half round guide plates 58 pivotally mounted on the axles of the road wheels are let down to hang below the edges of the supporting rails 15 and guide the machine along the surface of the rails. When the machine is operated on a broad flat surface, the guide plates 58 are held in elevated position as shown in FIG. 1 by screws or pins 59 passed through the holes 60 in the yokes of the ground wheels.

In order to hold the machine in generally upright position without constant attendance when it is not in use an A frame 61 is pivotally mounted at 62 on the lower flange of the I beam. This A frame supports the machine on a fiat surface when turned laterally. An elongated brace bar 63 pivoted to the upper end of the handle bar at 64 can be swung downwardly as shown in FIG. 2 to support the machine from the ground when left standing on a side rail or form.

Desirably the parts of the machine and in particular the I beam body thereof are made of aluminum to reduce the weight of the machine. Since the I beam supports very little weight, it does not have to be very heavy to resist deflection between its ends. The machine is quickly adaptable and easily operated to detect and mark surface deviations on flat roadways or raised rails and can be conveniently propped up and left unattended in either position.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A machine for detecting surface irregularities in roadways and forms therefor comprising an elongated relatively rigid body in the form of an I-beam, ground wheels mounted at the ends of said body in the longitudinal plane thereof, the front wheel being steerable, a handle on the rear of said body, a rotatable grip on said handle connected to said front wheel to steer the front wheel, an arm vertically swingably mounted on the underside of said body and having a ground engaging detector wheel mounted on a swinging portion thereof near the midpoint of said body, a dial on said body facing said handle and having a center normal indicia with high and low indicia on each side thereof, a pointer swingably supported in front of said dial and adjustably connected to said arm whereby deviation of said detector wheel from the line between the bottoms of said ground wheels moves said pointer, a dye tank on said body connected to a nozzle positioned alongside of said detector wheel, a valve in the connection between said tank and said nozzle, a second rotatable grip on said handle connected to actuate said valve, a pair of switches mounted on said body, a rocker connected to said pointer and positioned to alternatively close said switches as the pointer moves to either side of said center indicia, a bell connected to one of said switches and a buzzer connected to the other of said switches, retaining plates pivoted on the axles of said ground wheels to depend below the peripheries thereof and engage the sides of a rail when said wheels are supported on a form rail, means for holding said plates above the bottoms of said wheels when said wheels are on a roadway surface, a first A-frame brace pivoted on the bottom of said body to swing into a plane transverse to the body to support the machine on a roadway, a second brace bar pivoted on said handle and swingable laterally downwardly therefrom to support said machine on a form rail, a lock engageable with said steerable ground wheels to hold the same in co-planer tandem relation to the rear ground wheel, and means for supporting said handle at two different positions above said bod 2. A machine for detecting surface irregularities in roadways and forms therefor comprising an elongated relatively rigid body, ground wheels mounted at the ends of said body in the longitudinal plane thereof, the front wheel being steerable, a handle on the rear of said body having means connected to said front wheel to steer the front wheel, an arm vertically swingably mounted on the underside of said body and having a ground engaging detector wheel mounted on a swinging portion thereof near the midpoint of said body, a dial on said body facing said handle and having a center normal indicia with high and low indicia on each side thereof, a pointer swingably supported in front of said dial and adjustably connected to said arm whereby deviation of said detector wheel from the line between the bottoms of said ground wheels moves said pointer, a dye tank on said body connected to a nozzle positioned alongside of said detector wheel, a valve in the connection between said tank and said nozzle, means on said handle connected to actuate said valve, a pair of switches mounted on said body, a rocker connected to said pointer and positioned to alternatively close said switches as the pointer moves to either side of said center indicia, a bell connected to one of said switches and a buzzer connected to the other of said switches, retaining plates pivoted on the axles of said ground wheels to depend below the peripheries thereof and engage the sides of a rail when said wheels are supported on a form rail, means for holding said plates above the bottoms of said wheels when said wheels are on a roadway surface, a first A-frame brace pivoted on the bottom of said body to swing into a plane transverse to the body to support the machine on a roadway, a second brace bar pivoted on said handle and swingable laterally downwardly there from to support said machine on a form rail, and means for supporting said handle at two different positions above said body.

3. A machine for detecting surface irregularities in roadways and forms therefor comprising an elongated relatively rigid body, ground wheels mounted at the ends of said body in the longitudinal plane thereof, the front wheel being steerable, a handle on the rear of said body having means connected to said front wheel to steer the front wheel, an arm vertically swingably mounted on the underside of said body and having a ground engaging detector wheel mounted on a swinging portion thereof near the midpoint of said body, a dial on said body facing said handle and having high and low indicia, a pointer swingably supported in front of said dial and adjustably connected to said ann whereby deviation of said detector wheel from the line between the bottoms of said ground wheels moves said pointer, marker means on said body positioned alongside of said detector wheel, a second rotatable grip on said handle connected to actuate said marker means, a pair of switches mounted on said body, a rocker connected to said pointer and positioned to alternatively close said switches as the pointer moves to either side of said center indicia, a bell connected to one of said switches and a buzzer connected to the other of said switches, retaining plates pivoted on the axles of said ground wheels to depend below the peripheries thereof and engage the sides of a rail when said wheels are supported on a form rail, means for holding said plates above the bottoms of said wheels when said wheels are on a roadway surface, a first A-frame brace pivoted on the bottom of said body to swing into a plane transverse to the body to support the machine on a roadway, a second brace bar pivoted on said handle and swingably laterally downwardly therefrom to support said machine on a form rail, a lock engageable with said steerable ground wheel to hold the same in co-planer tandem relation to the rear ground wheel, and means for supporting said handle at two different positions above said body.

4. A machine for detecting surface irregularities in roadways and forms therefor comprising an elongated relatively rigid body, ground wheels mounted at the ends of said body in the longitudinal plane thereof, the front wheel being steerable, a handle on the rear of said body having means connected to said front wheel to steer the front wheel, an arm vertically swingably mounted on the underside of said body and having a ground engaging detector wheel mounted on a swinging portion thereof near the midpoint of said body, a dial on said body facing said handle and having high and low indicia, a pointer swingably supported in front of said dial and adjustably connected to said arm whereby deviation of said detector wheel from the line between the bottoms of said ground wheels moves said pointer, marker means on said body positioned alongside of said detector wheel, a second rotatable grip on said handle connected to actuate said marker means, retaining plates pivoted on the axles of said ground wheels to depend below the peripheries thereof and engage the sides of a rail when said wheels are supported on a form rail, means for holding said plates above the bottoms of said wheels when said wheels are on a roadway surface, a lock engageable with said steerable ground wheel to hold the same in co-planer tandem relation to the rear ground wheel, and means for supporting said handle at two different positions above said body.

5. A machine for indicating irregularities in surfaces, forms and the like including a carriage comprising an elongated beam like body member, a rear carrying wheel disposed at the rear end of said body member, a front carrying wheel disposed at and steerably mounted in the front end of said body member, spring means acting to yieldably hold said front wheel with its axis transverse to the longitudinal plane of said body member, a carriage manipulating handle disposed at the rear end of said body member, steering means for said front carrying wheel including a manually manipulatable means disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, an arm mounted on the under side of said body member for vertical swinging movement in the longitudinal plane thereof, a surface engaging wheel mounted on said arm substantially centrally relative to said carrying wheels, a dial having high and low indicia thereon mounted on said body member in facing relation to said carriage manipulating handle, a pivotally mounted pointer operatively associated with said dial and operatively connected to said arm sothat vertical deviations of said surface engaging wheel relative to said body member actuate said pointer, switches mounted on said body member in laterally spaced relation, a switch closing member mounted on said pointer and acting to close one of said switches when said pointer is actuated through its connection to said surface engaging wheel, distinctive audible signal means operatively associated with said switches, a marking material tank mounted on said body member and provided with a valve controlled discharge nozzle positioned to discharge adjacent said surface engaging wheel, manually operable means for opening said valve disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, and form engaging members adjustably positionable to depend below the carrying Wheels for guiding engagement with a form or the like on which the wheels are traveling.

6. A machine for indicating irregularities in surfaces, forms and the like including a carriage comprising an elongated beam like body member, a rear carrying wheel disposed at the rear end of said body member, a front carrying wheel disposed at and steerably mounted in the front end of said body member, spring means acting to yieldably hold said front wheel with its axis transverse to the longitudinal plane of said body member, a carriage manipulating handle disposed at the rear end of said body member, steering means for said front carrying wheel including a manually manipulatable means disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, an arm mounted on the under side of said body member for vertical swinging movement in the longitudinal plane thereof, a surface engaging wheel mounted on said arm substantially centrally relative to said carrying wheels, a dial having high and low indicia thereon mounted on said body member in facing relation to said carriage manipulating handle, a pivotally mounted pointer operatively associated with said dial and operatively connected to said arm so that vertical deviations of said surface engaging wheel relative to said body member actuate said pointer, a marking material tank mounted on said body member and provided with a valve controlled discharge nozzle positioned to discharge adjacent said surface engaging wheel, manually operable means for opening said valve disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, and form engaging members adjustably positionable to depend below the carrying wheels for guiding engagement with a form or the like on which the wheels are traveling.

7. A machine for indicating irregularities in surfaces, forms and the like including a carriage comprising an elongated beam like body member, a rear carrying wheel disposed at the rear end of said body member, a front carrying Wheel disposed at and steerably mounted in the front end of said body member, spring means acting to yieldably hold said front wheel with its axis transverse to the longitudinal plane of said body member, a carriage manipulating handle disposed at the rear end of said body member, steering means for said front carrying wheel including a manually manipulatable means disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, an arm mounted on the under side of said body member for vertical swinging movement in the longitudinal plane thereof, a surface engaging wheel mounted on said arm substantially centrally relative to said carrying wheels, a dial having high and low indicia thereon mounted on said body member in facing relation to said carriage manipulating handle, a pivotally mounted pointer operatively associated with said dial and operatively connected to said arm so that vertical deviations of said surface engaging Wheel relative to said body member actuate said pointer, switches mounted on said body member in laterally spaced relation, a switch closing member mounted on said pointer and acting to close one of said switches when said pointer is actuated through its connection to said surface engaging wheel, distinctive audible signal means operatively associated with said switches, a marking material tank mounted on said body member and provided with a valve controlled discharge nozzle positioned to discharge adjacent said surface engaging wheel, and manually operable means for opening said valve disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle.

8. A machine for indicating irregularities in surfaces, forms and the like including a carriage comprising an elongated beam like body member, a rear carrying Wheel disposed at the rear end of said body member, a front carrying wheel disposed at and steerably mounted in the front end of said body member, spring means acting to yieldably hold said front wheel with its axis transverse to the longitudinal plane of said body member, a carriage manipulating handle disposed at the rear end of said body member, steering means for said front carrying wheel including a manually manipulatable means disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, an arm mounted on the under side of said body member for vertical swinging movement in the longitudinal plane thereof, a surface engaging wheel mounted on said arm substantially centrally relative to said carrying wheels, a dial having high and low indicia thereon mounted on said body member in facing relation to said carriage manipulating handle, a pivotally mounted pointer operatively associated with said dial and operatively connected to said arm so that vertical deviations of said surface engaging wheel relative to said body member actuate said pointer, a marking material tank mounted on said body member and provided with a valve controlled discharge nozzle positioned to discharge adjacent said surface engaging wheel, and manually operable means for opening said valve disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle.

9. A machine for indicating irregularities in surfaces, forms and the like including a carriage comprising an elongated beam like body member, a rear carrying wheel disposed at the rear end of said body member, a front carrying wheel disposed at and steerably mounted in the front end of said body member, spring means acting to yieldably hold said front wheel with its axis transverse to the longitudinal plane of said body member, a carriage manipulating handle disposed at the rear end of said body member, steering means for said front carrying wheel including a manually manipulatable means disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, an arm mounted on the under side of said body member for vertical swinging movement in the longitudinal plane thereof, a surface engaging wheel mounted on said arm substantially centrally relative to said carrying wheels, a dial having high and low indicia thereon mounted on said body member in facing relation to said carriage manipulating handle, a pivotally mounted pointer operatively associated with said dial and operatively connected to said arm so that vertical deviations of said surface engaging wheel relative to said body member actuate said pointer, a marking material tank mounted on said body member and provided with a valve controlled discharge nozzle positioned to discharge adjacent said surface engaging wheel, manually operable means for opening said valve disposed in operative reach relation to said carriage handle, adjustable means mounted on said body supporting it in upright position with its carrying wheels on the form, and other adjustable means for supporting the carriage in upright position upon a surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,372 Andrade-Lalama Mar. 25, 1924 1,633,841 Andrew June 28, 1927 2,045,563 Benson June 30, 1936 2,047,327 Muirhead July 14, 1936 2,175,496 Troyer Oct. 10, 1939 2,344,216 Raydon Mar. 14, 1944 OTHER REFERENCES Publication: American Machinist, page 111, November 22, 1945. (Copy in 33-147N.) 

